Monopoly
by crazy novelist-san
Summary: ItsukixKaname inspired by if only she knew by Michele Branch. Slight ManaxKaname set after the manga ends. Cursing shonenai and a better summary inside. Chapter three up! feel free to kill me for making you wait so long. COMPLETE!
1. Chapter 1

**Monopoly  
By: Shozetsku  
Disclaimer/Warnings/Authoress Notes:**

-I do not own Juvenile Orion, Sakurako Gokurakuin does, nor do I own "If Only She Knew" by Michelle Branch but I suggest listening to it while reading this, it's very fitting and the initial inspiration behind this fic. The monopoly bit was just an 'add on' I thought of later, but I don't own that either (but I own a millennium edition of the game.)

-ItsuKana, KanaMana, cursing, one sided love, threats of suicide and shonen ai. -- Don't approve of some of this? Don't read, but don't worry I'm religiously adverse to character death and don't think I have the stomach to write such a thing.

-Again, I got the inspiration from listening to a song and it **will** be angsty. This is the first JO fic I've posted so, be honest, but gentle. Oh, please note, this takes place not long after the manga ends and I will, to the best of my ability, try to keep them as in character as I can. My word as a humble writer to you, I will try!

X-X-X-X 

If Itsuki's life were to be portrayed in the game of monopoly his card would read as thus: "Do not pass go. Do not go to Jail. Take your damn piece off the retarded game board and return all the little plastic houses or hotels, your fake money, and any cards you have. You lose. Goodbye." Admittedly Itsuki had never played monopoly in his life. The game of life would probably be a better comparison anyways, but Itsuki knew even less about that game. But he felt that Monopoly was a good way to put it because his most treasured thing in this world was being monopolized. Hence the name. But I digress you're probably wondering what was the source of his melodrama, well, the ugly truth was that it was skipping towards them at a speed that should not be possible to humans.

"Itsuki-kun! Haruna-chan! Have either of you seen Kaname-kun?"

"No, sorry Master, we just got here but Naoya was headed over to the gym and I think he might be there. I'm sure nii-san would love to be your escort."

Itsuki shot a dirty glare at his sister before hitching his trademark grin on his face and holding out an arm like gentlemen used to do when escorting ladies. "Of course, I'd love to infuriate Shiba-sempa—I mean, walk you to the gym." Mana giggled at Itsuki's antics and obligingly took his arm. "You're so funny Itsuki-kun."

Haruna watched them go and contemplated on the way to her own classroom why she'd gotten such a look from Naoya.

On the way to the gym Itsuki kept Mana smiling with various stories of his late night jobs. One on one she was really fun to be with but when the others were around Itsuki regretted being so near her. When they got to the gym Mana spotted Kaname right away started to stare in an awed sort of way. As soon as Mana Entered the room Shiba turned and looked incredulously at Itsuki, which cause him to get hit in the face with a ball. When Mana shouted above the din, "Kaname-kun!" Shiba missed an easy pass and most of the noise was deposited directly in Itsuki's ear. Kaname ran over to them, gave a quick 'Hi, Mana.' then began poking the twitching form of Itsuki who was asking for someone to make the ringing stop. "Are your ears bleeding?" he asked offhandedly, "Only if it'll get Kirihara to put my head in her lap again." Itsuki said hopefully, Shiba bounced a basketball dangerously close to Itsuki's face and gave him a curt "No." Itsuki shrugged and sat up and rubbed his ears as Mana apologized for shouting. Shiba muttered something about being a weakling.

X-X-X-X 

Shiba and Kaname went to go change, and Itsuki told Mana to get to class so she wouldn't be late. "Aren't you coming with me?" she asked him. He shook his head, "No, I wanna get a cigarette in be fore I go to class. You go on like the good little student I'll never be." Mana didn't look approving but went anyways. This left Itsuki as the only one to be seen in the gym, he took a shortcut to the roof that he knew of that was in the storage room and headed for the roof.

When he got there Kaname was already there, "I thought I told you to quit, several times." He said. Itsuki grinned, "You did, and I did, I just said that to get rid of Kirihara. That, and I Knew you'd come up here to tell me off. I just wanted to get you on your own, without the others."

"And now that you have me up here all on our own what are you going to do with me?" At this Itsuki's mind was flooded with different ways to interpret that remark and there was a slight coloration to his cheeks. "I was going to ask you a question."

"And, that is?"

"Are you and Kirihara really going out?"

"What kind of messed up question is that?"

"An honest one; that would like to be answered instead of mocked." Itsuki said with the coloration in his cheeks worsening.

"Yes, we are OK?"

"NO! Not OK, OK? What about us Kaname? What about what we had? What would Master say if she knew what we--"

"Naoya." Kaname never raised his voice, he didn't sound angry, he didn't even look affronted, but his voice calling out Itsuki's given name always made Itsuki stop. He would stop talking, stop moving, stop breathing, he swore even his heart stopped beating, all at one word from Kaname's mouth, he had that much control over the E.G.O.

"Mana is back, it's different now."

"It's no different! We were so much closer then we are now! You were mine before she came!"

"No, she had me first, she was my dear friend and my mind breaker long before I met you."

That's when Itsuki said something he regretted for the rest of his life. "And a lot of good it did you! Look where it got you! An orphan living with your older sister with part of your memory gone for about eight years and nightmares about it!" Even before the words were finished leaving his mouth he'd known he'd gone far too far. His hand flew over his mouth and he looked too shocked and hurt to realize that Kaname was talking, but he heard him.

Kaname glared at him. "What was it you asked earlier? 'What about us, what about what we had?' listen good Itsuki, we never _had_ anything, there never _was_ anything." There was anger in his voice now to be sure.

"You can just deny it, just like that? How could you Kaname?" Itsuki's vision was being blurred by the tears he was holding back.

"What are you suggesting? You have feelings for Master too, same as I; could you make her suffer that kind of heartbreak? Could you hurt her like that? Do you care so little for her?" Kaname asked him furiously.

"Do you care so little for me?" Itsuki asked in a small voice that Kaname almost didn't hear. Itsuki looked up, waiting and dreading Kaname's answer.

Kaname didn't answer. There was some invisible force driving a nail into Itsuki's heart, further and further in it went with each painfully slow second that Kaname stayed in silence.

"Whatever happened is over now, because I could never hurt her like that." Without another word Kaname took the stairwell that would take him the closest to their class. Leaving Itsuki alone on the roof.

Itsuki looked over the edge of that rooftop at the city expanding before him into the horizon, the sun partially concealed by a building, the shades of the sky steadily changing to the light blue they would become. At the flock of birds flying towards the sun... It was so hollow, and meaningless, and... and...

And he **_really_** wanted to jump.

X-X-X-X 

**Chapter 1 End!**

Sorry it's short but the rest of it's for later chapters and this is all I wanted to get across in the first chapter. The beginning is cheerful and a bit comical because there is a serious side and a façade to Naoya Itsuki. The X's will show the beginning and ending of chapters as well as any 'time breaks' so to speak; really they'll just to keep the story for getting monotonous. Again, I DO NOT own the song "If Only She Knew" By Michelle Branch but I suggest listening to it while reading the fic; especially later on in the fic.

Reviews will help me update!

-Novelist!


	2. Chapter 2

**Monopoly  
By: Shozetsku  
Disclaimer/Warnings/Authoress Notes:**

-I do not own Juvenile Orion, Sakurako Gokurakuin does, nor do I own "If Only She Knew" by Michelle Branch but I suggest listening to it while reading this, it's very fitting and the initial inspiration behind this fic. The monopoly bit was just an 'add on' I thought of later, but I don't own that either.

-ItsuKana, KanaMana, cursing, one sided love, threats of suicide and shonen ai. -- Don't approve of some of this? Don't read, but don't worry I'm religiously adverse to character death and don't think I have the stomach to write such a thing.

-So far the only pairings I have are listed, I'm open to put in others you need only ask me and I'll see what I can do. Enjoy the ficcie!

**X-X-X-X **

_And he _**really**_ wanted to jump._

Haruna looked up from her notes, her brother did _not_ just think that, did he? He wasn't really going to jump was he? Haruna stood up, feeling actually sick. The teacher turned at the sound of her chair scraping, "Yes, Itsuki?"

Haruna refused to answer in words; she clamped a hand to her mouth and mimed throwing up with her other hand. "Well, don't just stand there! Get out of here!" The teacher said frantically. She did as she was told and headed to the nearest way up to the roof. She burst through the door, "Naoya! If you do I'll never forgive you!"

He turned; his eyes were so full of tears that she was amazed he could see. "H-h-h-Haruna?"

She rushed towards him and yanked him away from the edge, which caused him to stumble into her, and they both fell. Luckily for her she tripped into something that was high enough to use as a chair and he fell crying into her thigh high socks. Naoya couldn't stop crying, so Haruna stroked his hair and whispered comforting words. Naoya couldn't speak; though he made half-hearted attempts that Haruna couldn't make sense of through his sobbing. So he told her through their mental connection. Haruna was a little surprised when he told her he had had a relationship with Kaname but knew that Itsuki had never really had any interest in girls anyways. She let him cry in her lap, she shed a few tears herself, he finally got the energy to get up and sit next to her. Neither wanted to return to class so they went home instead.

X-X-X-X 

The next day the Itsuki twins were one short of a pair, Nakaura-sensei directly questioned Haruna about Naoya's absence, Haruna assured him that Naoya was incapable of attending school even if he wanted to. He took her at her word, though slightly misinterpreting her words. Mana, dragging Kaname asked if they could visit Itsuki after school, Haruna said no and told her, "He will barely talk to me, and I don't think he wants to talk to you either, no offence. But I'm sure there's someone who could help him." Kaname raised an eyebrow; she was being very discreet for a reason he realized.

"Mana, get to class I'll be right there, I have something in my shoe locker for Itsuki and you don't need to be late too." Kaname said. Mana nodded, stood on her toes and gave Kaname a quick kiss before heading to class. Kaname's cheeks darkened slightly. And the two headed for the shoe lockers.

When they got there they stopped in front of Kaname's locker Haruna spoke "Since there's nothing in your locker for my brother why don't we get down to business?" They both knew that he had lied to their master. "Fine. Why is Itsuki skipping school really?"

"Manic depression," She answered simply and firmly. "He's not even at home. He's at the EGO institute I was at because he keeps trying to commit suicide with his powers."

Kaname's eyes widened, he felt the bottom of his stomach drop out, his heart clenched; he felt so dizzy...

"What would you say if that were true?" Haruna finished. Kaname took a steadying step backwards. "Don't scare me like that. I thought you were serious." Haruna narrowed her eyes at him, "Who says I'm not serious? I wanted to know what your reaction would be."

"What's this really about? Did Itsuki put you up to this? I told him already I'm going out with Mana now."

"No, he didn't put me up to this, but what I told master was true. He won't talk to me, I think it's you he wants, save him."

"From **what**?"

"From himself! He really did try to kill himself, I can't bear to think of what might have happened if I didn't arrive on the roof when I did." Haruna started to cry.

"I won't give in just because he feels bad he got dumped!" Kaname shouted, getting angry now, "He'll get over it! I was in love with Mana first." To Haruna it sounded like he was trying to convince himself as much as he was trying to convince her.

"First isn't always best." Haruna told him quietly, "I couldn't even begin to tell you the number of failed attempts Naoya made to get me out of that place. And after he met you, that's all he could talk about. You keep saying 'Master this' and 'Master that' I've yet to hear what you want, who you want to be with Kusakabe-kun."

"You must not be listening then." Kaname retorted a bit bitterly.

"I am! And don't call me a liar! Yes, I hear you! You're screaming it in your head, how could I not? You're pushing something down with all your might, like you're afraid of it... or...or ashamed..." Haruna's eyes widened. "You are..." She said quietly, "You're ashamed of loving my brother because he's a guy and Mana's a girl! You think you're supposed to love Mana because she's your mind breaker and your childhood friend."

Kaname couldn't look at Haruna, whose features so resembled the one person he longed to see. Every word she spoke rang true and each one drove into his chest making it harder and harder to breathe. And when she told him he was ashamed of loving Itsuki he felt ashamed of being ashamed in the first place. Everything was falling around his ankles as his plan of breaking up with Itsuki and falling back in love with Mana and forgetting about Itsuki backfired in ways he'd not foreseen. Had Itsuki loved him so much that the thought of not being together would drive him to consider suicide? Why didn't he realize that he never wanted to be with Mana but to be there to protect her, as an older brother would do for a sister? Were he and Itsuki so similar? Why didn't he recognized the way he forced himself to share those kisses with Mana and the empty feeling in them?

Why was he such a moron?

"And now that you've had a lesson in the game of life go have one in history, we're both soo late it's not funny." Haruna said in a way that violently reminded Kaname of Itsuki, his chest tightened, "How do I apologize for doing that to him?"

Haruna thought for a while, "I think I'll go with mom on her business trip tomorrow. Make it up to him over that weekend." Kaname thought back to the more mundane part of his life, they did have a three day weekend and today was Thursday. He smiled.

"Thanks, Itsuki-chan."

"Just don't do it again or there'll be hell to pay, you moron-darklore." She said with a wink.

"Yes ma'am, you crazy-EGO." He said giving her a salute.

And with the atmosphere around them considerably lighter then when they started talking, they departed to their respective classes to be lectured on punctuality.

Kaname had much to apologize for over that three day weekend. But first, there was Mana to deal with.

X-X-X-X 

As it turns out Mana was a bit of a shonen ai fangirl. She didn't take it half as bad as he thought she might and even gave him a small peck on the cheek for good luck. Kaname's head was buzzing and he found he couldn't concentrate on anything that day. This was bad news indeed for poor Amou-kun, (who is my bishie! I love that sexy Eraser!) who was his lab partner in science class that day. Let's just say there were explosions from the chemicals and from Nakaura-sensei.

And, still in a daze, Kaname made his was home to try to figure out how to make everything all right with Itsuki again. So out of it was he that he never realized he was being watched. This was only good news for his observer but would prove unfortunate in later events to come.

X-X-X-X 

**Chapter 2 End!**

Who is the observer you ask? Honestly, I dunno! I'll figure it out though! Next chappie, Yumminess! Yatta, Yatta! I get to write EGOxDarklore Yumminess! Wait for me for the next chappie!

-Your writer,

Novelist the Moronic; I-I mean crazy... I mean both!


	3. Chapter 3

**Monopoly  
By: Shozetsku  
Disclaimer/Warnings/Authoress Notes:**

-I do not own Juvenile Orion, Sakurako Gokurakuin does, nor do I own "If Only She Knew" by Michelle Branch but I suggest listening to it while reading this, it's very fitting and the initial inspiration behind this fic. The monopoly bit was just an 'add on' I thought of later, but I don't own that either.

-ItsuKana, cursing, and Lots o' shonen ai. -- Don't approve of this? Don't read it!

OH my eff-ing god! I actually updated this F#&ing fic? I left this for HOW long? I had infuriating writers block for over six months? -bows till I die.- XP feel free to tell me off for leaving this for so long.

... This used to be a lemon... but I hated it so much and wrote and rewrote it so many times that I finally decided to leave it really fluffy. Again, feel free to tell me off. But only if you've been waiting for ever for me and I let you down. I like it much better fluffy. but ack, just read and flame, if you've been waiting since the last time Iupdated this fic you deserve to send me a flame and I deserve to get them.

X-X-X-X

"Naoya, if you do anything drastic while we're gone you're going to regret it!" Haruna chided her older brother. Naoya barely heard her, "Hn" was her only reply. Haruna took her bags and walked out to the car with her mother.

As they were driving to the hotel they're mother looked worried about leaving him alone.

"Haruna, are you sure it's alright, leaving him home in his state?" she asked.

Haruna laughed, "Don't worry mom, Naoya may be older but I'm the one who's smarter." When her mother still looked worried she elaborated, "I've called for a sitter to watch him while we're gone."

"Who on earth did you get? They had better be able to handle Naoya if his powers get out of control."

"I did mother, a friend of ours. And don't worry, Naoya's going to know better then to use his powers."

Still not entirely reassured but trusting Haruna, her mother left the conversation at that.

Not half an hour after they left Kaname let himself in using the key in the flower pot that Haruna had put there. He shook off the backpack on his shoulder and began looking around for Itsuki wherever the hell he was.

He found him in his room, on his bed, with none of the lights on in the room. He sighed, he had a lot to apologize for. He looked at the bedside table and saw an uneaten tray of food. He picked up the tray and took it to the kitchen. Itsuki looked up to see who was in his room, he couldn't believe his eyes, he was sure he was now delirious from the lack of food. He sat up and followed the other boy and watched Kaname stow the food in the fridge.

Was he really there? In his house? Was he really going to take care of him? This was just a dream right?

"Are you just going to stand there or are you going to ask me why I'm here?" Kaname's voice was soft, friendly, and if Itsuki didn't know any better, affectionate.

"Why?"

"Because your sister made me take a good long look in the mirror, she made me see that 'first love' doesn't mean 'only love' or 'true love'. She showed me that the second time I fell in love was better then the first." Kaname said staring Itsuki straight in the eye. His gaze was so intense that Itsuki couldn't keep looking into his eyes.

"What about Kirihara-san?" Itsuki dreaded the answer.

"Are you kidding? She gave her blessing and wanted to know if she could throw a party in celebration of our relationship." Kaname said with a laugh. Itsuki laughed too, then he felt a bit dizzy and hugged the doorframe.

Kaname was at his side in an instant. "Should you be walking around Naoya? Here, sit down. I'm making you lunch whether you want me to or not."

Itsuki wanted to cry. This was better then his dreams, because only in real life could Kaname holding him close could feel this good. This warm. This safe. Kaname lead him to the table then started to fix him something to eat. Kaname called over his shoulder, "Are you feeling up to having a sandwich, Koi?" He nodded and then, he really did start to cry, soft silent tears of overflowing happiness. He sat there, feeling ridiculous but giddy, just silently crying. Kaname turned to see him like that, and plate of food in hand he sat down next to Itsuki and waited smiling just as silently.

Itsuki was struck with waves of ravenous hunger. Several times Kaname had to intervene and say things like, "Easy, easy. Chew your food or your going to choke." "If you want to get sick you can keep eating like that, otherwise slow down." And, "There's all the time in the world, enjoy the food."

Itsuki was tired of crying, and of sulking. He was all around just plain tired. After eating Kaname helped him to his bed, where he slept soundly with Kaname by his bedside.

He awoke to Kaname reading a book in a chair right next to his bed. Had he slept for long? Kaname looked up at the sound of his rustling bed sheets.

"Have a nice nap?" Kaname asked with a small smile.

"What time is it?" Itsuki asked a little blearily.

"A little after dinner, are you hungry?"

"Very." Itsuki said with an attempt at getting up. Kaname pushed him back down.

"Crying, refusing meals, staying up for days, and thinking depressing thoughts after contemplating suicide can do that to a guy." He said gravely.

"Sorry." Itsuki looked away from Kaname's piercing eyes.

"What for? If I hadn't gone and broken your heart over something so stupid you would have never had to go through that. It's my fault, and I have a lot to apologize for, but first things first. You need to get better." Kaname got up and walked out of Itsuki's room in the direction of the kitchen, before he came back the wonderful smell of miso and curry and other things hit him and his mouth began to water. He sat up as Kaname placed the tray over Itsuki's lap.

Kaname smiled teasingly, "Are you feeling up to eating or should I spoon feed you?" Itsuki pouted at the comment, "Feed me then if you're so willing." He said with a huff. But Kaname shook his head, "If you're feeling well enough to be huffy with me you can feed yourself." Itsuki stared at him, his mouth agape; Kaname had tricked him! Of all the nerve! To pick on a sick person. Kaname you are so -!

All thought was banished as Kaname laughed softly and put a spoonful of delicious miso soup was put into his still open mouth. "MMM!"

Kaname laughed again. "I'm glad you like it."

**X-X-X-X**

Ituski awoke to a pleasant sight. Kaname was sleeping with his head pillowed by his arm, with the most innocent look on his face. His other hand clasped in Itsuki's. Itsuki gave the hand an affectionate squeeze and kissed Kaname's forehead. Kaname stirred, "Morning glorious." Itsuki said with a second kiss. Kaname sat up and stretched, "You bet I'm glorious. Bask in my awesomeness mortal!"

"Jerk." Itsuki said, punching him softly in the shoulder.

"Your jerk." Kaname shot back.

"Too right." Itsuki said, sitting up with a nod, "But still a jerk."

"Shut up and give me a real kiss me good morning, like the ones you used to give me." Kaname said leaning over the blonde.

Itsuki smiled, "As you wish."

They were less then an inch apart when they heard the click and saw the flash. Kaname was at the window in an instant to the great surprise of one Tsukasa Amou.

"What are you—" Kaname started, then decided to focus on more important matters, he made a grab for the camera. Tsukasa held it out of reach and seemingly incinerated it.

"I am sorry you two. But Itsuki-chan wanted proof you two had made up and Master ordered me to and paid me 2,000 yen (its like paying someone twenty bucks, but the yen is smaller then the dollar... I think.) to do it. She has the camera now. I just sent it to her."

He ran off, Kaname shouted out the window, "What'll Nakaura-sensei say about this?" Tsukasa turned to shout back, "This is between me, you two, master, and God, unless you want Tonomori-san to lecture you about your relationship!"

"Go get your wings clipped, you fallen angel!" Itsuki screamed from his bed. "You just killed the mood!"

Laughing, Tsukasa ran faster, not the least bit sorry for what he did. Itsuki huffed and leaned back against his pillows. "You could have gone after him, you know. With your wings you'd of caught him in an instant."

Kaname shut the window and pulled the drapery shut to be safe. "That's true, but that would require me leaving your side wouldn't it? That won't do."

Itsuki blinked and thanked whoever was listening for giving him a sister that loved him so much, and for giving him a Kaname who might even love him more. Itsuki cried again, laughing and smiling till his cheeks hurt. Kaname got up to get him water. But Itsuki knew that he would always be back.

It was the best feeling in the world.

**X-X-X-X**

OWARI!

Hmm. Not the ending I originally anticipated... at all. I was going to write a lemon but it didn't seem right. It kinda ruined the story and I like this fluffy ending a bit better. Wow this I was late.

How long did I leave this story for? -checks-

O.O

Damn. You people must hate me.

Anyways, tell me how much the ending sucked monkey b#lls. And even though I really like the ending how it is, if you want a lemony epilogue I'll write one for you guys as an apology. It's the least I can do for putting this off for so damn long.


End file.
